Judging for AMA 2026 open now

Information for participants in judging for the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards (all categories).

Thank you for joining us as a judge for the 2026 Aotearoa Music Awards. Judging for AMA 2026 (all categories) is now open.

Please note that:

• The Academy-voted categories (Album and Single of the Year, Best Solo Artist, Best Group) involve two rounds of judging:
  - Round 1 – initial voting
  - Round 2 – based on shortlists created in Round 1
• Specialist judges for genre, Mana Reo, Best Māori Artist, and artisan categories complete one round only
• There is no obligation to vote in all categories you have access to, although it would be great if you could prioritise your specialist category if you have been allocated one
• If you have been allocated a specialist category it will be visible in the judging portal when you register and log in

The full AMA 2026 judging timeline is:

• Monday 19 January – judging opens (all categories)
• Tuesday 10 February, midnight – Round 1 judging closes (Academy categories)
• Thursday 12 February – Round 2 judging opens (Academy categories)
• Thursday 19 February, midnight – judging closes (all categories)

AMA judging is conducted via Award Force:

• If you’ve already registered, log in here to begin
• If you’re new, click here to create a password, then log in here. You will be asked to complete a short demographics questionnaire, which will help to inform the make-up of future judging academies
• Your judging profile is linked to the email address this message was sent to. Please use the same address to log in. If you’d prefer to use a different address, let us know by emailing ama@recordedmusic.co.nz
• There is no ‘submit votes’ button in Award Force:
  - You can amend your selections at any time before the deadline/s
  - Votes are automatically submitted when each round closes

Before you start, please review the AMA judging criteria and information about the judging process and keep these in mind when assessing nominations and making your selection. Please also review our Conduct Expectations, which we require all participants in AMA, including judges, to comply with.

We appreciate you contributing your time and expertise as a judge for AMA 2026. Please direct any pātai to ama@recordedmusic.co.nz